Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer Wayne Kingston wayne.kingston@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 4
Prerequisites	Prerequisites (Admission to MBA or MSocEntre and 32cp including MGSM850)
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description Strategic Management is a capstone unit that builds on MGSM850 Strategic Frameworks and the other core management disciplines studied in MGSM MBA units. The purpose of this unit is to help you develop your own viewpoint on the most appropriate methods for effectively executing corporate strategy in 21st Century organisations. You will learn how to think and act to help develop, achieve and maintain the competitive advantage of an organisation.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Group Work	15%	No	Per sessions
Case Submission	15%	No	26 Feb 2018, 4:00pm
In-class Quiz	10%	No	Scattered across the sessions
Final Examination	60%	No	19-24 March 2018

Group Work

Due: Per sessions
Weighting: 15%

We will form syndicate groups of approximately equal size, depending on the number of people in the class. Each group will “win” (process to be discussed in class) one of four cases to analyse and present. This may mean that two or three groups will present on one case. It may be a bit of a competition but hopefully a friendly one.

Statement of Expectations. The major focus of the group assignment is to maximise your fellow students’ understanding of Strategic Management thus far by applying your unit readings, lectures and discussions to the assigned case. As such it is expected that your “presentation” will cover all questions listed in the unit guide for that case in a way that demonstrates your group’s best efforts at applying our material to those questions.

BIG HINT: The worst way you could tackle this assignment would be for questions simply to be portioned out among individual group members who go off and do their own preparation, and then lightly gluing the various answers together at the last minute.

The four cases are:

Session 3, 25 January. Destination Products Inc
Session 4, 1 February. Dropbox: “It Just Works”
Session 5, 8 February. Finning International Inc in the United Kingdom
Session 6, 15 February. Newell Company: Corporate Strategy

There will be a sliding scale of “protected” percentage points to compensate groups disadvantaged by going earlier rather than later in the schedule. Details of the scoring of the group work, including the sliding scale, will be provided in class at Session 1.

Each group will have 25 minutes to cover their topic and should ensure their topic fills the full 25 minutes. The group is free to use a variety of appropriate means to accomplish this. Importantly it is expected that your fellow class members will not be a passive yawning audience of a 25 minute presentation. There must be a good amount of interactive activity. We will discuss the concept of “interactive” during Session 1.

Each group should ensure their case fills the full 25 minutes. Padding with Q&A is not allowed as a means of filling time, and groups will be politely but firmly cut off at 25 minutes.

Ideas for incorporating group work into large units while still meeting the 50% individual assessment requirement include having an individually-assessed presentation on the group task, or setting an exam question related to the group task, if applicable.

Marking criteria will be provided in class/iLearn.

Group formation. Groups will be formed during Session 1. Cases and groups will have been paired by the end of Session 1. It is fully acceptable for class members to form the groups themselves.

Group member responsibilities. All group members will be expected to contribute approximately equally to the group assignment. Precise division of labour will be up to the group. It is NOT required that all group members present, but it is expected that all group members will contribute to the effort.

Group dynamics. Should any difficulties develop within the group regarding this assignment, the group should talk with the lecturer as soon as the issue arises. It is important to advise the lecturer sooner rather than later

Group submissions. To assist in the marking, you will be required to submit three pieces of documentation. They are listed here.

A soft copy of the exact slide set (including any multimedia) to be used by the group, with written notes under the slides. That material is due into the lecturer’s hands by email, Dropbox or USB key no later than 5:30 pm on the session day. There is a 5% penalty per day or part-day for lateness. Please note that no changes can be made to the slide set once it has been submitted to the lecturer. Please also be aware that the written notes under the slides form part of the assessment, so make sure they are clear and complete. And finally, be aware that the lecturer has a real bias against strategy presenters who simply stand up and read prepared material such as whole paragraphs, whether you are reading from the notes section of the slides, a piece of paper or – heaven forbid – your mobile phone. Save that sort of behaviour for when you run for office.
A list indicating specifically what each group member contributed. Just saying “research” or “writing” is too vague. (A sample list will be provided so you can see the level of detail required.) Your list must be physically signed off by every member of the group and is to be submitted to the lecturer by 6:00 pm the day AFTER the session day, that is, after the class session is concluded, so that in-class effort can be taken into account by the group. There is a 5% penalty per day or part-day for lateness.
The group’s agreed-to percentage split of the marks. Should all members receive equal marks? If not, how much more or less should each person receive, and why? Please note that this information is provided only as input to the lecturer, who makes the final determination. Again this information must be physically signed off by every member of the group and is to be submitted to the lecturer by 6:00 pm the day after the session day, that is, after the class session is concluded, so that in-class effort can be taken into account by the group

On successful completion you will be able to:

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Case Submission

Due: 26 Feb 2018, 4:00pm
Weighting: 15%

Length: 500 words absolute maximum. No attachments, no graphs or charts

Your individual case assignment will be an individually prepared and recommendation for the case that will be provided on week 2 in iLearn.

The case questions, which will be provided on week 2 in iLearn, must be answered in your paper, although they may be in any order and should not be specifically labelled. Instead your paper will be a cohesive and coherent work that persuades the reader of the logic and solidness of your recommendation.

Your logic or persuasiveness will heavily affect your marks, because strategic leadership and management relies heavily on the quality of your logic and persuasiveness. This means that dot points will not be allowed in this assignment, as they are lists and as such carry less persuasiveness.

Because in the Strategic Management unit we will be learning to be focused in our thinking, there is a word limit of 500 words for this paper. All words used anywhere on your submission will be counted. This includes everything: title, text, headings, diagrams, appendixes, even your name. There will not be a marks penalty if you use more than 500 words, but the words from 501 onward will not be read and therefore not included in the assessed material. In other words, there is no advantage to writing more than 500 words.

If you believe 500 words is draconian, be aware that last year the limit was 400 words, though that was for an assessment involving fewer questions. You are the lucky ones!

Please note that while there is no marks penalty for utilising more than 500 words, late assignments will attract a penalty of 5% deducted per day or part-day. and no extension will be given.

Further details of the assignment content and marking criteria will be provided in class/iLearn.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

In-class Quiz

Due: Scattered across the sessions
Weighting: 10%

There will be a series of short “pop” (i.e., unannounced) quizzes given in class during the term. They will be straightforward and will reflect your understanding of the read/discussed material. Your best three quizzes will each count equally towards your total grade, for a total of 10 marks. Taking only your best three allows you to have an “off” situation and still do well.

The quizzes will be discussed in Session 1.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Final Examination

Due: 19-24 March 2018
Weighting: 60%

Duration: 3 Hours plus 20 minutes reading time

At the conclusion of the unit there will be an open book examination of 3 hours plus 20 minutes reading time. It will represent 60% of the final aggregated course mark. There will be an exam review and practice session during Session 10 of the Strategic Management unit to help you prepare for this case based exam.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Delivery and Resources

Required textbook: None. We will use our readings in iLearn instead.

Recommended textbook: None.

If you feel you really want to buy a book called “Strategic Management” so you have it on your bookshelf, there are several reasonable possibilities.

Dess, G, Lumpkin, G T, Eisner, A, and McNamara, G, Strategic Management: Text and Cases, 7th edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2013. ISBN: 9780077862527.
Hubbard, G, and Beamish, P, Strategic Management: Thinking, Analysis, Action, 4th edition, Pearson Australia, 2010. ISBN: 9781442528680.
Rohaermel, F, Strategic Management: Concepts, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2014. ISBN: 9780077645069.
Carpenter, MA, Sanders, WG, Rice, J, and Martin N, “Strategic Management: A Dynamic Perspective”, Pearson Australia, 2009. ISBN: 9781442500372.

Readings: A selection of readings on strategic management will be made available to you. Each article is identified with a particular class session.

Other current articles may be handed out in class.

Additional optional readings specific to the session’s topic will be listed at the end of each slide set. These are for people who want to delve deeper into a particular issue we discuss in class.

For those with an unquenched interested in the field of strategy, here are some books both classic and more contemporary you may enjoy.

Afuah, A, Strategic Innovation, Routledge, New York, 2009.

Black, R.J, Organisational Culture: Creating the Influence Needed for Strategic Success, Routledge, New York, 2003.

De Wit, B, and Meyer, R, Strategy Synthesis, South-Western Publishing, Hampshire, 2010.

Fleisher, CS, and Bensousson, BE, Business and Competitive Analysis, FT Press, New Jersey, 2009.

Gamble, JE, and Thompson, AA, Essentials of Strategic Management: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York, 2011.

Hamel, G, Leading the Revolution, McGraw Hill, 2000.

Luthans, F, and Doh, JP, International Management: Culture, Strategy, and Behavior, 8th edition, HarperCollins, New York, 2011.

Kotler, P, and Caslione, JA, Chaotics, Amacom, New York, 2009.

Leinwand, P, and Mainardi, C, The Essential Advantage, Harvard Press, Boston, 2011.

Mintzberg, H, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Prentice Hall, 1994.

Mintzberg, H, and Quinn, JB, The Strategy Process, Prentice-Hall International, 1991.

Osterwalder, A, and Pigneur, Y, Business Model Generation, Wiley, New Jersey, 2010.

Taylor, WC, and LaBarre, PG, Mavericks at Work, HarperCollins, New York, 2006.

Thompson, AA Jr, Peteraf, M, Gamble, J, and Strickland, AJ III, Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 19th edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York, 2013.

MGSM iLearn

The web page for this unit can be found at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM/

Unit Schedule

Weekly class – Thursday 6pm – 10pm

There will be 9 weekly class sessions during the term, each one running from 6pm to 10pm, plus one day-long live case session.

We will start and end on time.

Each session will involve a combination of activities for you to complete before the session.

“Read” means read in depth to grasp not only the key points but additional detail.
“Prepare” means read the case more than once in its entirety, be able to succinctly describe the facts of the case, analyse the case based on what you have learned in the Strategic Management unit and be prepared to discuss the case in class. Discussion will start with some (probably not all) of the identified questions and move beyond them as time and skill development permits.

Session-by-session details are as follows.

Session 1 - Strategic management from the inside | Thursday 11 January 2018

Sessions 1 and 2 develop the foundation essential to good strategic management, which ultimately means efficient and effective strategy implementation. This includes connecting the concept of strategic management to other units of study from your program, as well as introducing the definition of a market from a strategic, i.e., economic, perspective; the business strategy typology (BST) and its adaptive cycle; and the advanced competitive dynamics of population ecology. This work will underpin the remainder of the term, so you will not want to miss these first two sessions.

Strategic management consists of three decision areas: strategy formulation, functional strategy alignment and strategy implementation. Session 1 focuses on key elements of the internal context that impact those three decision areas.

Before class:

Read:

“Miles and Snow: Enduring Insights for Managers” by Sumantra Ghoshal.
“Organizational Strategy, Structure, and Process” by Raymond E Miles, Charles C Snow, Alan D Meyer and Henry J Coleman Jr. This is the original book chapter on which the Ghoshal article (listed above) is based.
“Formulating Strategy” by Eric Van den Steen.
“Note on Market Definition and Segmentation”, Harvard Business School.
How to use a MECE structure (if you are not already familiar with it): http://workingwithmckinsey.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/MECE-at-McKinsey.html

Session 2 - Strategic management from the outside | Thursday 18 January 2018

Our topic focus continues from Session 1.

Session 2 focuses on key elements of the external context that impact strategy formulation, functional strategy alignment and strategy implementation. In particular, we shine the spotlight on analysing competitors, competitor behaviour and retaliation.

Before class:

Read:

Pages 9-20 (starting at the section entitled “Population Ecology Perspectives on Market Evolution”) of “Evolutionary Processes in Competitive Markets” by Mary Lambkin and George S Day. (You are welcome to read the rest of the article as well but some of it is technical and beyond the scope of our unit of study.)
“Niche Strategy: Merging Economic and Marketing Theories with Population Ecology Arguments” by Eli Noy.
Pages 874-878 of “Population Ecology Theory” by Manjula S Salimath and Raymond Jones III. (You are welcome to read the rest of the article as well...)
Pages 632-637 (stopping at the beginning of the section “The Laser Printer Industry”) of “Churn, Baby, Churn: Strategic Dynamics Among Dominant and Fringe Firms in a Segmented Industry” by John M de Figueiredo and Brian S Silverman. (You are welcome to read the rest of the article as well...)

Prepare case for in-class discussion: Tennant Company: Innovating Within and Beyond the Core

Read the case thoroughly and be highly familiar with the facts of the case.
Then apply the material from Session 1 (including Session 1 readings) to the case – only Session 1, as when we discuss the case we will not have yet delved into the Session 2 topic. Unless told otherwise, the major case for a particular session should always be analysed only considering material from all of the previous sessions.
Be prepared for a wide ranging discussion by organising your answers to the following questions, some or all of which will be asked specifically but all of which need to be thoughtfully considered prior to class in order to maximise your learning from the case discussion:
- What insights do you have about Tennant Company that you would not have had without Session 1?
- Describe Tennant’s current business strategy, and assess its appropriateness.
- Now cascade that strategy down to the critical functional strategies. That is, identify which one or more of the specific business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, operations) are the most critical to the success of Tennant Company’s current business strategy, and then describe the strategy for each of those specific business functions you named.
- What is their implementation plan? What would you do differently? Be specific: tasks, timelines, responsibilities. Be sure to include any leadership issues.
- What specific measures should Chris Killingstad monitor to see whether the current strategy is on track to be successful? Provide the name of the measure, the specific level and the time by which that level should be achieved.

Session 3 - If it ain’t broke, break it! Or don’t break it! | Thursday 25 January 2018

Session 3 adds in the topic of strategic innovation, including technology as a strategic enabler.

Before class:

Read:

“A Dynamic View of Strategy” by Constantinos C. Markides.
“Disruptive Technology: How Kodak Missed the Digital Photography Revolution” by Henry C Lucas Jr and Jie Mein Goh. Just read/skim this article lightly to extract the main points.
“Reverse Engineering Google’s Innovation Machine” by Bala Iyer and Thomas H Davenport. Just read/skim this article lightly to extract the main points.
“Scoping: Where to Look”, which is Chapter 2 of Peripheral Vision: Detecting the Weak Signals That Will Make or Break Your Company by George S Day and Paul J H Schoemaker.
“Making the Most of Uncertainty” by Hugh Courtney

Prepare case for in-class discussion: Destination Products Inc. Focus on applying the material from the previous sessions.

What insights do you have about Destination Products Inc (DPI) that you would not have had without Sessions 1 and 2?
Describe DPI’s current business strategy, and assess its appropriateness.
Recommend to Frank Galati your preference from the six expansion options described at the end of the case, and justify your choice.
Identify which one or more of the business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, operations) are the most critical to the success of the strategy you have selected. Then describe the functional strategy for each of those specific business functions you named.
What will be your implementation plan? Be specific: tasks, timelines, responsibilities. Be sure to include any leadership issues.
What specific measures should Frank Galati monitor to see whether your chosen strategy is on track to be successful? Provide the name of the measure, the specific level and the time by which that level should be achieved

Session 4 - Go big or go home, maybe | Thursday 1 February 2018

Session 4 adds in the topic of geographic expansion, particularly international and global strategy.

Before class:

Read:

“Have You Restructured for Global Success?” by Nirmalya Kumar and Phanish Puranam.
“Managing Differences: The Central Challenge of Global Strategy” by Pankaj Ghemawat.
“The New Rules of Globalization” by Ian Bremmer.
“When You Shouldn’t Go Global” by Marcus Alexander and Harry Korine.
“In Pursuit of Globalization: Learning from the Hard Lessons” by Mohammed A Burney and M Sadiq Sohail

Prepare case for in-class discussion: Dropbox: “It Just Works”. As usual, focus on applying the material from the previous sessions.

What insights do you have about Dropbox that you would not have had without Sessions 1, 2 and 3?
Describe Dropbox’s current business strategy, and assess its appropriateness.
Design and recommend to Drew Houston an integrated growth strategy, and justify your choice.
Identify which one or more of the business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, operations) are the most critical to the success of the strategy you have selected. Then describe the functional strategy for each of those specific business functions you named.
What will be your implementation plan? Be specific: tasks, timelines, responsibilities. Be sure to include any leadership issues.
What specific measures should Drew Houston monitor to see whether your chosen strategy is on track to be successful? Provide the name of the measure, the specific level and the time by which that level should be achieved.

Session 5 - Share the load | Thursday 8 February 2018

Session 5 adds in the topic of strategic alliances.

Before class:

Read:

“Alliances: The Secrets of Successful Co-operation” by Benjamin Gomes-Casseres.
“How Partners Shape Strategy” by Henrich R Greve, Timothy J Rowley and Andrew V Shipilov.
“Managing Ambiguity in Strategic Alliances” by Rajesh Kumar.
“Competing Globally, Allying Locally” by Tieying Yu, Mohan Subramaniam and Albert A Cannella Jr. Just read/skim this article lightly to extract the results, unless you are statistically inclined

Prepare case for in-class discussion: Finning International Inc in the United Kingdom. As usual, focus on applying the material from the previous sessions

What insights do you have about Finning that you would not have had without Sessions 1 through 4?
Describe Finning’s current business strategy, and assess its appropriateness.
Design and recommend to Doug Whitehead an integrated international expansion strategy, and justify your choice.
Identify which one or more of the business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, operations) are the most critical to the success of the strategy you have selected. Then describe the functional strategy for each of those specific business functions you named.
What will be your implementation plan? Be specific: tasks, timelines, responsibilities. Be sure to include any leadership issues.
What specific measures should Doug Whitehead monitor to see whether your chosen strategy is on track to be successful? Provide the name of the measure, the specific level and the time by which that level should be achieved.

Session 6 - Changing direction or staying the course | Thursday 15 February 2018

Session 6 adds in the topic of implementing strategic change.

Before class:

Read:

“Enduring Ideas: The 7-S Framework”. Found (including an 8 minute podcast) at http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/strategy/enduring_ideas_the_7-s_framework .
“Six Ways to Sink a Growth Initiative” by Donald L Laurie and J Bruce Harreld.
“Cultural Change That Sticks” by Jon R Katzenbach, Ilona Steffen and Caroline Cronley.
“The Perils of Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt.
“Robert McNamara's ‘11 Lessons’ in the Context of Theories of Strategic Management” by Robert Grattan.
“Why System, Not Structure, Is the Way Toward Strategic Alignment: A Historical Perspective” by Robert S Kaplan and David P Norton

Prepare case for in-class discussion: Newell Company: Corporate Strategy. As usual, focus on applying the material from the previous sessions

What insights do you have about Newell that you would not have had without Sessions 1 through 5?
Describe Newell’s current corporate strategy, and assess its appropriateness.
Design and recommend to John McDonough an integrated growth strategy, and justify your choice.
Identify which one or more of the business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, operations) are the most critical to the success of the strategy you have selected. Then describe the functional strategy for each of those specific business functions you named.
What will be your implementation plan? Be specific: tasks, timelines, responsibilities. Be sure to include any leadership issues.
What specific measures should John McDonough monitor to see whether your chosen strategy is on track to be successful? Provide the name of the measure, the specific level and the time by which that level should be achieved

Session 7 - Avoiding Mind-Fields | Thursday 22 February 2018

Session 7 adds in the topic of psychological biases that can impact our strategic thinking and decision making.

Before class:

Read

“The Hidden Traps in Decision Making” by John S Hammond, Ralph L Keeney and Howard Raiffa.
“Before You Make That Big Decision” by Daniel Kahneman, Dan Lovallo and Olivier Sibony.
“Strengths Become Weaknesses: Cognitive Biases in Founder Decision-Making” by Noam Wasserman and Kyle J Anderson.
“Self-Selection Bias in Hypothesis Comparison” by Jennifer C Whitman and Todd S Woodward

Prepare this pair of cases for in-class discussion:

From Little Things Big Things Grow – The Clontarf Foundation for Aboriginal Boys
From Little Things Big Things Grow – The Clontarf Foundation for Aboriginal Boys (B)

The process for these cases will be explained one week beforehand.

Bring to class:

Your copy of the two cases
Your laptop or mobile device. We will be doing some online work.

Sessions 8 and 9 - Welcome to the real world | Saturday 10 March 2018, 9am-5pm

Sessions 8 and 9 form a special full-day session with a live client who will come to us for a fresh perspective on one or more business strategy issues within his or her firm. During the day we will work both in small groups and as an integrated class to provide new insights. This day will provide you with practice using your collective MBA knowledge and skills in a real-world environment and in the process getting satisfaction from assisting a real organisation that needs your insight. Bring your A game!

Before class:

Read any materials provided by the client.

In class: Live client

The case will be explained one week beforehand.

Session 10 - Review and exam preparation | Thursday 15 March 2018

Focus of session: review of unit material, exam preparation, practice exam

Before class:

Read: No assigned reading for today.

Bring to class all of your cases, notes and slides

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Appeals Policy
Academic Integrity Policy
Academic Progression Policy
Assessment Policy
Fitness to Practice Procedure
Grade Appeal Policy
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Assessment tasks

Group Work
Case Submission
In-class Quiz
Final Examination

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Assessment tasks

Group Work
Case Submission
In-class Quiz
Final Examination

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Assessment tasks

Group Work
Case Submission
In-class Quiz
Final Examination

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Assessment tasks

Group Work
Case Submission
In-class Quiz
Final Examination

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Assessment tasks

Group Work
Case Submission
In-class Quiz
Final Examination

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Critically reflect on and apply strategic principles to achieve incremental and transformational change across organisations.
Synthesise concepts studied in other units of the MBA program to create and implement business strategies that produce competitive advantage.
Apply appropriate strategic tools and models in ways that leverage diverse cultural and market mindsets to improve the competitive positioning of an organisation.
Critically reflect on how applying responsible approaches to strategic business practice can impact positively on the ethical, social and environmental factors affecting the organisation.
Critically analyse stakeholder relationships to generate strategies that create and deliver sustainable value for stakeholders across value chains and complex networks

Assessment tasks

Group Work
Case Submission
In-class Quiz
Final Examination

Changes from Previous Offering

Changes were:

Group work assessment percentage was changed to 15% from 20%
Individual work assessment percentage was changed to 15% from 20%
Final examination assessment percentage was changed to 60% from 50%
Some cases and readings were changed.
The unit will be taught by a new lecturer, Wayne Kingston

Alignment with MGSM’s mission-driven attributes

Leadership: The unit develops judgment capability as to what is effective ethical leadership within different contexts.

Global mindset: The unit required me to make decisions from different cultural positions than my own.

Citizenship: The concepts corporate social responsibility, corporate governance and ethical decision making are core components of the unit.

Creating sustainable value: The unit demonstrated how the interrelatedness of functional business decisions connect to create value within an ethical context over the short and longer-terms.

Attendance Policy (MGSM)

The interactive environment of the classroom is central to the MGSM experience. Students are required to attend the full duration of all classes for the units in which they are enrolled. We recognise that exceptional circumstances may occur, such as unavoidable travel on behalf of your organization or the serious illness or injury of you or a close family member.

Special consideration may be given for a maximum of 20% non-attendance for such circumstances as long as lecturers are contacted in advance, and supporting documentation provided, to request exemption from attendance. Failure to abide by these conditions may result in automatic withdrawal, with academic and/or financial penalty. The full Student Attendance Policy is published in the MGSM Student Handbook at https://students.mgsm.edu.au/handbook.

Content Disclaimer

These unit materials and the content of this unit are provided for educational purposes only and no decision should be made based on the material without obtaining independent professional advice relating to the particular circumstances involved.